End clasp for a bracelet or the like



Oct. .2,` 1956 C. DUERR END CLASP FOR A BRACELET OR THE LIKE Filed July 5l, 1952 INVENTOR. CHARLES DUERR ATTORNEY United States Patent @nice 2,764,796 `lifatented Oct. 2, 1956 Application July 31, 1952., Serial No. 301,937 s claims. (ci. 24-233) The present invention relates to an end clasp particu- `larly adapted for use on bracelets the ends of which are to be attached to a. watch or the like. This application is a continuation-impart of my application Serial No. 91,741, filed May 6, 1949, and having the same title, now Patent No. 2,624,092.

`The problem of providing an adequate securing device by means of which wrist Watch bracelets may be secured to watches has long vexed the industry. This has particularly been true in the case of ladies watches the cases of which are relatively small and consequently are not provided with a conventional removable pin passable through `a link in the bracelet, but are instead provided with lugs or the like which the bracelet is adapted to grasp. ln most instances the fastening means employed at the end of the bracelets have been semi-permanent in nature and have required the use of special tools and considerable manipulative skill. Since watches and bracelets are often sold separately but used together, the problem of securing the bracelet to the watch is an everpresent one. In View of the above described diiculty in manipulation of the normal type of bracelet and clasp, the task of securing the bracelet to the watch has devolved upon 'the jeweler, who sells either the watch or the bracelet, since normally only the jeweler has the necessary tools and skills. When individuals have attempted to manipulate the prior art end clasps on their own, the result is usually failure of the end clasp, separation of the bracelet from the watch at an unforeseen moment and consequent damage to, Iand often loss of, the watch and bracelet.

Even when the securing operation is performed by the jeweler, considerable time and care must be` lavished upon that operation, thus adding to the overhead of the jeweler and detracting from the availability of his employees for other purposes such as sales, watch repairing and the like which are more financially productive.

Moreover, the watch generally being the longerlived member of the watch-bracelet combination, it often happens that `an individual wishes` to replace the bracelet attached to a watch or to change that bracelet in conformity with the ensemble of clothing and jewelry which the individual may be wearing at a given time. It is particularly true with respect to womens watches that the fastening of the bracelet to the watch has given the most trouble. It is obviously not feasible for `a user to return a watch and bracelet to a jeweler each time shewishes the bracelet to be changed, and no matter how friendly or obligiug thejeweler, repeated requests for changes and refastenings are bound to become irksome.

No matter how carefully the replacement job may be done with bracelet end clasps of the prior art, the semipermanent nature of the fastening action of those clasps and their relative fragility necessitated by their small size militate against their use for frequent fastenings and .unfasteninga In most instances some thin metal portion must be bent or deformed each time the bracelet is secured to or detached from the watch and after a few such operations the clasp will break.

Moreover, the fastening portions of the end clasps of the prior art have been more or less rigidly attached to the bracelets so that the bracelet ends are to be more or less rigidly secured to the watch. This is a disadvantage particularly where wrist watches are concerned, since the normal use of the owners arm and the constant ilexing of her wrist will be resisted by the rigidity of the fastening members, and that resist-ance will not only place undue strain upon the fastening members but will als-o cause discomfort to the wearer.

A further difficulty involved with bracelet end clasps of the prior art has resided in the fact that, because of the construction of the end clasp, it has been diicult to integrate them into the ornamental motif of the bracelet. Hence, the bracelet does not, from an appearance point of View, blend smoothly into the watch but is instead separated from the watch by fastening members which,

although they may in and of themselves be decorated, are normally of Ia different appearance from the bracelet itself.

By means of the present invention, an end clasp is produced which may readily be secured to or detached from a Watch or other ornamental article without the use of special tools `or equipment by an unskilled person and which may be attached or detached a substantially indefinite number of times and on a moments notice without deterioration or mechanical failure. The clasp is positive in operation and is adaptable for use with watches of various sizes without modication. The fasteningn members bf the clasp are articulately secured to the bracelet so that they may be moved relatively thereto even after they have been secured to the watch. In this way, the watch is attached to the bracelet with considerable freedom of movement so as to afford maximum comfort to the wearer and minimum strain on the clasp when the bracelet-watch combination is subjected to normal wear.

In its preferred form, the fastening members are enclosed within an open-endedhousing, which housing may have exactly the same ornamentation as the remainder of the bracelet, so that the appearance of the bracelet when it is attached to the watch is uniform.

This is accomplished by pivotally securing a pair of Iarms on` the bracelet end,jthese arms being provided with fingers projecting toward one another and the arms being movable toward one another so that the fingers can grasp or release the lug of the watch. The arms are provided with cooperating ratcheted surfaces which permit the arms to be moved toward one another into a grasping position but prevent them from being moved `away from one another to release the Watch, a spring being active upon the arms to urge the ratcheted surfaces into engagement and a manually operable member being provided to render the spring inoperative so lthat the -arms can be moved apart when desired to release the watch.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing advantages and to the achievement of such other advantages as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to an end clasp. for a bracelet or the like as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a top view showing the end clasp and a portion of a bracelet, the clasp grasping a watch lug;

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bracelet and end clasp of Fig. l showing the arms in closed and open position;

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the adaptability of the clasp for use with watches having'lugs of differing sizes; l.

"Fig: 6 is a side cross-sectional view taken along the line-6w6 of Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is an end cross-sectional View taken along the line 7 7 of Fig. 6; and

Pig. 8fis aview similar to Fig. 7fbut=showing1a different embodiment.

It` will be understoodI that although the present invention-is specifically illust-rated inthe form of ya bracelet end claspl whichengages with a watch lug, the invention isz susceptible of other uses and is not tobe limited-'to use either -with the particular bracelet here disclosed, with bracelets in general, orto secure watches alone.

Broadlyv considered, the bracelet comprises a pair of `arms A and B pivotally mounted: on the end of'a bracelet body generally designatedC, extendingout therefrom, and having fingers D, D projecting toward one another and 'spaced *from the endof the bracelet body C so as to grasp 'the'lug E of a watch F therebetween. vA spring G is active on the arms A and-'B so as to retain them in `the. position towhich they may be adjusted, and, in-the embodiment here specifically disclosed, so as to further prevent them from being spread outwardly beyond* that adjusted fposition. In said adjusted position the 4lingers D and D are adapted to engage and grasp the watch lug E.

By way of illustration the bracelet body C is here disclosed as composed of a plurality of internesting links 2 having a suitably ornamented upper surface, which-links are interconnected together as a conventional expansible bracelet by the bottom links 3. Each endI of the bracelet l(only one end is here shown, the other end being identical' thereto) is provided with a shell-like housing 4 the upper surface of which is ornamented to simulate theappearance of the links 2. `Noter that as here disclosed the shell -4 is approximately twice as long as each of the individu-a1 links 2 and is so stamped or otherwise yformed as to simulate the appearance of two individual links, thus carrying out the appearance of the bracelet right up to the end' thereof.

The `endof the `housing is open as indicated `at-6 and it is through that open end that the arms A and B 'extend. A base plate 8 is secured within the housing 4, the housing preferably being provided with lips'10 bendable under the base plate 8 to retain the same in position. The base plate 8 is appropriately secured to the bracelet bodytC.

When `thus secured to the bracelet body C, 'the clasp housing 4 and base plate 8 form, in effect, a part of the bracelet proper, since they constitute an elongation thereof which overlies the body of the user in the same man ner4 as the bracelet body C. The-arm A is secured to andis preferablyl formed integrally with a hub 14 and the'arrnB is secured to and preferably formed integrally withthe hub 16.'.

'The .hu-bs 14 and 16 are provided with cooperating opposed ratcheted faces and 52 so oriented that, when these surfaces 50 and '52 are engaged, the hubs `14 and '16fc'an be rotated relative to one anotherin lsuch va direction that the arms A and'B converge toward `their grasping position but cannot be rotated-in the opposite direction. In this embodiment, the baseplate 8 is provided 'with an aperture 28 of approximately the; same'size as 'the aperture 18 in fthe hub 14. A cup-shaped manually operable member S3 has a flange 54 which vrests upon the upper surface of the vupper hub 16 and has a'closed hollow body `which 4extends freely through the apertures 18 and 28 and which is received with a vfrictional t in the .aperture'Ztl in the upper hub 16.` This body projects downwardly beyond the base plate 8, terminating inthe exposed tip 56. A spring G is'activebe'tween-the surfacefof housing 4 andthe inner surface of'lthe manually v'opera'ble'member'53 sowas to urge 'that-member downwardly, its flange 54 engaging the upper surface ofwthe hub L6,an d itsfbody being: frictionally engaged 'in the aperture-26, 'thereby-v `forcing the hub- 16 downwardly so 4 that its ratcheted surface S2 engages with the ratcheted surface-50011 ythe-lower hub 14. thehubs thus engaged, and because of the orientation of the ratcheted l.surfaces 50 and 52, manual manipulation of the arms A and B toward one another will be permitted, the inclined portions of the ratcheted surfaces 50 and 52 sliding over one another and the upper hub 16 rising slightly and compressing the spring G as each ratchet tooth is passed. If, however, it be attempted to separate the armsv Aand B, the spring, G will ensure engagement between` the.

ratcheted. surfaces 50 and 52 andvhence such diverging motion of the arms A and B will be prevented. Consequently, although the clasp may readily be secured to a watch lug E, it cannot'as readilybe detached` therefrom.

When detachment isl desired, theexposed tip 56 of the manually operable member 53 is positioned upwardly compressing the spring G and lifting the hub 16 through the frictional interconnection between the member 53 and the aperture 2@ in the hub- 16. When this is done, the ratcheted surfaces Sli and 52 are no longer in engagement and consequently the armsA and B'may be spread.

The embodiment disclosed in Fig. 8 operates similarly to that disclosed in Fig. 7 except that the upper hub 16' is not apertured and the lower hub -14 is provided at its upper edge with a countersunk portion 55 into which the i'ange 54 of the manually operable member 5'3 is receivable. The spring G is active between the under,- surfaceof the'housing 4 and the at upper surfaeof the upper hub 16, and is preferably of tapered form so as to ensure proper sea-ting. In this embodiment,`up ward pressure on the projecting tip 56 of the manually Ioperable member 53 will cause the flanges 54 thereof to abut against the underside of the upper hub 16 and positively move it upwardly against the action of the spring G until the ratcheted surfaces 50 and 52 are moved out of engagement so as to permit spreading of the arms A and B.

Each of thefingers D and 'D' are preferably adapted to overlap one another when the arms A andB are moved toward one another, and to that end the fingers D and D'v may be of reduced thickness when compared with the arms A and B to which they are attached with respect to which they are preferably integrally formed. More specifically, the finger D may have a thickness approximately one-half they thickness of the arm A sothat a shoulder 38 is defined on the upper portion of the arm A, vand the `fingerD may be one-half the thickness of the arm B so that a` shoulder `40'isformed on the lower'portion of the arm B. In an alternative construction, the fingers D and D may be of the same thickness as the arms A 'and B but may be suitably vertically offset therefrom. Hence, whenever the arms lA and B are kmoved together that mo- 'tion willbe limited by engagement of the end 42 of the linger D with the shoulder 40 on the arm B and by simultaneous engagement of the end 44 of the finger D with the-shoulder 38 on the arm A. When in that fully closed position, it will be apparent that the arms A and 1B may pivot together with respect to thebase plate 8 `and housing 4 until the arm A or B, depending upon the direction of pivotal-motion, comes into contact with one vVertical edge46 or the other defining the sides of the open end- 6 ofthe housingy 4.

When it is Vdesiredto secure the bracelet to a watch, the arms A and B, as they extend out from the housing 4, are grasped and-separatedrfrom the solid line position illustratedi-n Fig. 3 to the phantom position there illustrated,-each ofthe'arms A and B moving along the arcuate path designated bythe 'arrows 48 until the fingers D and D no longer overlapy but instead define an open space between themselves. It lwillbe noted that the arms A v'and 'B'have onlyy alim-'ited degree of possible divergence,

f6 ofthe housing 4 vservingasy positive stops.

With the. arms` A and Bin-their thus diverged position,

the'clasp isfpesitioned adjacent-to the arched, lug Eso that said lug enters between the spread ngers D and D'. The arms A and B are then manually pushed toward one another, the ratchet surfaces 50 and 52, because of their inclination, sliding over one another to permit this motion despite the action of the spring G. When the arms A and B are thus pushed toward one another the ingers D and D will enter into the lug E, overlapping one another, and will thus iirmly and positively secure the bracelet body C to the watch F.

It should be noted particularly that it is not necessary, in order to secure positive and adequate fastening action, that the arms A and B move all the way to their fully converged position as illustrated in the solid lines in Fig. 3. Hence, the clasp is self-adaptable to watch lugs of diiferent sizes. In Fig. 4 a lug E is illustrated which is extremely narrow, so narrow that the arms A and B are permitted to move to their fully converged position in which the ends l2 and 44 of the fingers D and D' engage the shoulders 40 and 38 respectively on the arms B and A. ln Fig. 5 a `watch F is illustrated having a lug E' considerably Wider 'than the lug E illustrated in Fig. 4; When the end clasp of the present invention is employed with such a lug as E', the arms A and B are prevented from moving to their fully converged position by reason of their engagement with the sides of the lug E', but nevertheless the tingersD and D', by reason of the action of the spring G, pass within the lug E and are retained in their converged position, grasping the lug E.

It should also be noted that, once the clasp of the present inventionhas been secured to a Watch lug E, the arms A and B are nevertheless simultaneously pivotable to a limited degree, without separation, with respect to the base plate 8 and the housing l so that slight misalignment between the bracelet C and the watch F while on the wrist of the wearer will be accommodated by the freedom of motion between the arms A and B on the one hand and `the base plate 8 and the housing 4 on the other hand.

Hence, normal use imposes no strain on the clasp, lateral motion of the Watch F with respect to the bracelet C does not tend to spread the arms A and B but instead merely moves the arms A and B together, and, since said pivotal motion is unopposed, no resistance or discomfort is felt by the wearer. The securing action is positive and relative motion of the Watch and bracelet does not tend in any way to cause detachment of the bracelet from the watch.

The functioning and operation of the end clasps of the present invention will in the main be fully apparent from the above description. The presence of the spring G ensures positive securing action at all times. The fact that the arms A and B are simultaneously freely pivotable with respect to the remainder of the bracelet to which they are attached makes for increased comfort, reduces the strain to which the clasp may be subject, and ensures that lateral dislocations will not tend to cause the clasp to open and become disengaged from the watch. It is clear that the clasp is readily engageable with and disengageable from a watch without the employment of any special tools or equipment and that said engagement and disengagement may be accomplished almost instantaneously. Since the engagement and disengagement is accomplished Without the necessity of bending any structural parts, such engagement and disegagement may be repeated time and time again Without deterioration of the clasp. Since the arms A and B are enclosed within a shell-like housing 4, that `housing may have any type of ornamentation applied thereto without in any Way aifecting the functioning and operation of the clasp and hence it is possible to provide a bracelet end clasp which has substantially the same appearance as the remainder of the bracelet. The clasp `is self-adaptable to varying sizes of Watch lugs and hence 6 tailer, who heretofore has had to carry a large inventory of various sizes of end clasps, each of which had to be separately secured to a bracelet depending upon the type of Watch with which that bracelet was to be used.

It will be apparent that many modiications may be made in the end clasps here disclosed, all within the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An end clasp for a bracelet or the like comprising an open-ended housing including a base plate having an aperture, a iirst hub having a central aperture and a first ratcheted face rotatably mounted onrsaid base plate, a second hub having a central aperture and a second ratcheted face rotatably mounted on said first hub with said second ratcheted face opposite said first ratcheted face, each of said hubs having an arm extending out through the open end of said housing and having a finger projecting therefrom toward said other arm,` said arms being movable toward and away from one another so as to grasp or release a Watch lug or the like, the ratcheted portions of said opposing faces interengaging in a plurality of relative positions of said hubs, being so oriented as to permit said hubs to rotate relative to one another so that said arms can move toward one another but not in the opposite direction, and eifective to retain said hubs in said plurality of relative positions against displacement therefrom, a manually operable member engageable with said second hub, extending through the apertures in said hubs and said base plate, and projecting beyond said base plate, and a spring active between said member and said housing so as to urge said member toward said second hub and said second hub toward said first hub and thus cause engagement between saidratcheted faces, inward pressure of saidmember against said spring permitting said ratcheted faces to disengage so that said arms may be moved apart. t

2. An end clasp for a bracelet or the like comprising an open-ended housing including a base plate having an aperture, a first hubhaving a central aperture and a rst ratcheted face rotatably mounted on said base plate, a second hub having a second ratcheted face rotatably mounted on said first hub with said second ratcheted face opposite said first ratcheted face, each of said hubs having an arm extending out through the open end of said housing and having a nger projecting therefrom towards said other arm, said arms being movable toward and away from one another so as to grasp or release a watch lug or the like, the ratcheted portions of said opposing faces interengaging in a plurality of relative positions of said hubs, being so oriented as to permit said hubs to rotate relative to one another so that said arms can move toward one another but not in the opposite direction, and eiective to retain said hubs in said plurality of relative positions against displacement therefrom, a manually operable member engageable with said second hub, extending through the apertures in said trst hub and said base plate, and projecting beyond said base plate, and a. spring active between said second hub and said housing so as to urge said second hub` towards said rst hub and thus cause engagement between said ratcheted faces, inward pressure of said member against said second hub causing said ratcheted faces to disengage against the action of said spring so that said arms may be moved apart.

3. An end clasp for a bracelet or the like comprising a housing, a pair of members mounted on said housing, at least one of said members being rotatably mounted on said housing, each of said members having an arm which extends out beyond said housing and having a finger projecting therefrom toward said other arm, said arms being movable toward and away from one another so as to grasp or release a watch lug or the like, said members having parts facing one another and adapted to interengage in a plurality of relative rotative positions of said members when said members are moved toward one another, said parts being so oriented as to permit said members to rotate relative to oney anotherin one directionbut' not in-the other direetionyal springgactive on said members tovurge saidy members toward one another, thereby vcausing isaid parts to interengage,;and ya lmanual-ly operable lelementoperatively connectedto said housing and exposed at-zthe exterior `of said housing, said manually operable element being operatively connected to' at least one `of said fmembers and active thereon when manually engagedfandvmanpulatedso `as to 'move-saidfo'ne of said members away from the other ofisaid membersin opposition to the ac- '1- tion `of -saidaspring, y,thereby moving said member parts out of engagement.

4. An end lclasp -for ,a bracelet or :the like comprising a housing,` azfpairot -hubs `mounted .on said housingfat least-one of said hubs-'being ,'rotatablymounted yon said -v housing,feach of-'said ,hubslhavingan arm which extends Outbeyond'said-housingy andihas a'lnger projecting Ithere- Ifrom toward saidother-alam,y said arms beingmov'able toward and away Afromene anotherzsoas tog-raap `or release a watch lug or thel like, said A`hubs being in face ter-face contact` and said -contactingfacesfhaving cooperating ratchetsurfaces adapted ytotinterengage in aplurality of relative rotative positions` `of-saidwhubs vwhen lsaidhubs are moved into said face to face .contact and effective to retain said hubs-in ,said plurality of relative positions against ydisplacement therefrom, a` spring active on said hubs so as to urge-oneratchetedhub :face into engagement With the other, and afmanually operable elementoperatively-connected to -said -housinggand exposedatfthe exterior ofvfsaidhousing, `said-,manuallyoperable element open'` endl 'thereoI-fandfhaving a Vringer projecting therefrom towardsaid otherarm,vsaid arms being movable toward andlaway-from one another so as gto; grasp or releasea watch .lug forthe tlike, said hubs being mounted von said basevplate-in farce` to `face Contact ands'aid contacting -faces having cooperating ratchet surfaces adapted to interengage inapluralityfoffrelative positions Yofsaid hubs, :said ratcheted surfaces being-so oriented as,vvhen engaged, to permit said hubs to rotate vrelative to one another yso that said arms will move toward one another but not inthe other -.direction, and effective -to `retain saidy hubs in said plurality of Irelativepositions against ydisplacement therefrom, a spring 'operatively connected to Vat least one -o'f said hubs -so as tourgesaid hub in a direction such that its -ratcheted vhub :face engages With the rat'cheted hub face of the other-hubyand a manually operable member operativelyconnected to at' least one of -said hubsfand accessible from 'the-,exterior of said housing,actuation vol' said manually operable Amember'being effectiveto move said one hub `away from-'the other hub'so that the contacting ratcheted 4surfaces of :said hubs disengage, thereby permitting s aid` :arms to be moved apart.

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